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Fossile freaks and Rock heads..come in!


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I don't know squat about fossils.....

but in order to dissolve limestone....an inorganic solvent would make the most sense from a chemistry standpoint.

Try dillute concentrations of the following and increase the concentration until the desired effect is reached....

These are listed in order of solvent strength from weakest to strongest.

1. Vinegar
2. Lime-away
3. Ammonia
4. Acids

Good Luck.

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WWguru,

SO combining all of the above mentioned?

Not going to have any flame ups or weird chemical reactions will I??LOL
I only scored average in college chemistry!lol

SOunds like something to try.

The limestone and sandstone are quite thick, but the shape and size of fossils are not lost.

Most are a real nice quartzite rock underneath. Need to get there!!!

Thanks much!!!

Maybe I'll see ya on the Mn this Fall!?

Jim W

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You might try some weak acid like you use to clean your toilet bowl or vinegar and a tooth brush. Maybe some CLR. I know it will remove lime stone but I can't say what it will do to your fossils.

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Coca-cola? It'll remove the enamel from your teeth, why not limestone?

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I know I have mentioned this to Dark30, but does anyone know of a method to remove limestone and such from fossils?


I have yet given any to Dark30 to try somehard core tumbling with.

So any help is appreciated.

I have quite an extensive collection of beautiful fossils and know what lies beneath.
The one Fossil guide book I have recommended

Mild acid or baking soda. Didn't try the acid (at least not in years!lol)
And the soda wasn't strong enough!

Thanks for your time and please don;t forget to look down!!

Keep the rods bendin'!!!

Jim W

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Hey Jim, I would try a wire buffing wheel also. Limestone and Sandstone don't polish well in tumblers. You'll need to work it like a fossilologist on acid grin.gif

Maybe I could see them soon....I'll show you my agates if you show me your fossils smile.gif

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

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Your in luck....im a chem major. Maybe I can help.

Limestone = CaCO3 and is for the most part basic, which is why the baking soda (also a base) didnt work too well. With that said, an acid would work best, just not too strong that it would also react with your fossil. Have any HCl laying around? hehe. CaCO3(s) + 2HCl(aq) => CaCl2(aq) + CO2(g) + H20. Meaning the HCl will make your solid Limestone into a CaCl2 and water solution and CO2 gas bubbles. If you can find some HCl, as an earlier reply said, use a very dilute HCl soln and increase slightly as needed. No clue where you can buy any HCl though. Ask away if you have anymore questions- good luck!

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listen to you all talk about takin gunk off a rock made me think bout the stuff on my use to be nice black Merc. I would like to get that chaulky film off of it and I have done the vineger thing many time over , thought about lime away but worry aboout the paint. Any suggestions?

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ALl,

Thanks.

I re-visited the vinegar thing and it is working. Not fast by any means, but with a tooth brush and a soak some cleaning is happening!

I've often wondered where to buy HCl as well.

If you believe in date lines for fossils, occording to my Fossil guide book I have some that are 400 million years old!

Yah, I'm a skeptic too!lol

Also, some are very rare finds!
However, I might be in a little trouble. The guide book suggests experimenting with cleaning less favorable or good fossils when finding the right cleaning technique.

Wooops...cross my fingers!

For the boat scum, I have used Nautical Ease!
Came right off. They have a website...do the work.(sorry can't post it)


Dark30,

Looking forward to some Fall wading and rock comparisons!! I have a few perrrrty rocks that I want you to look at anyway!

Also,
I tried getting in touch with so-called experts in Minnesota.....real touch. ANy ideas people!

Jim W

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Leech, too many different names to spell correctly right now, but I can if someone is really interested.

A variety of Coral, invertebrates, shell life/crustaceans, plants. sponges etc.

I've been asked to donate a few, but can't get myself to do it quite yet. We'll see how they clean up!

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I have found a couple of petrified teeth along the banks of the minnsota river manly in the sand just wanted some info on these Items. Ones a big moler with roots intact and the other is a fang type with manly just enamel showing. any info would be greatly appreciated.

Moose

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I have found a few of those teeth....I've been told they are buffalo (or were buffalo) smile.gif

teeth.jpg

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

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Limestone is alkali (High ph). Us a drain cleaner acid (low ph). Rinse, repeat. Use a dental pick and safty glasses.

We use tolit bowl cleaner at work to clean hard water mark and caked on stone on our stone saws. We cut limestone (Dolamite) in the Mn river valley at work.

Other wise 60-80 grit sandpaper to remove the stone 220 then 400 to hone smooth.

The paint on a outboard should hold up to it. Just rinse well. If an outboard motor can hold up to saltwater, it will hold up to a little acid wash.

Remember a high Ph is as corrosive as a low Ph.

You can get a 12.5 mol phosphoric acid solution, sold as PH down for hydroponics.

good luck.

[This message has been edited by Red_Ball (edited 07-26-2004).]

[This message has been edited by Red_Ball (edited 07-26-2004).]

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Moose,
can you post a picture. I was looking at teeth in my guide book yesterday.
Are you certain they are fossilized?

Jim

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Heres the real quest for me...Lakers!

agates.jpg

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

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dark I was wondering if you got my pics of the teeth and if you could post them or tell me some info about them
moose

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Here ya go moose. I haven't seen any like that yet.

teeth2.bmp


teeth.bmp

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cast,cast,cast,cast......

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Top right tooth resembles a shark tooth. A little cloudy for me to get a real good look.
THe fossil next to it I don't believe is a tooth.

Cool stuff!

Jim W

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